Thursday, May 17, 2012

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Google Android News Android Forums

LG Promo’s New Optimus UI 3.0 With Upcoming Launches, Offers a Slew Of New Features

Posted: 16 May 2012 03:41 PM PDT

LG, struggling to stay relevant in the mobile arena has announced that their Optimus UI 3.0 is ready and ahead of schedule.  The new UI 3.0 offers a ton of new features and claims to be “unobtrusive” unlike other skins we’re familiar with.  We’ll initially see the new UI with the release of the Optimus LTE II which debuts in Korea this week and elsewhere in the world on the 4X HD around June some time.  Check out the features below highlighted by LG and don’t forget to let us know what you think in the comments below and whether or not you think the new skin can compete with Samsung’s TouchWiz and HTC’s Sense 4.0.  Presser after the break.

Features:

  • the ability to unlock the phone by dragging anywhere on the screen;
  • a new Pattern Lock that allows users to preset the most frequently used function, such as the camera, which automatically opens once the phone is unlocked;
  • a simpler version of Optimus UI 3.0 for new smartphone users which organizes the main applications so that they are the easiest to access;
  • a new Voice Shutter that allows users to capture photos using only voice commands;
  • a special camera feature that enables users to pick up the best shot among multiple images including the moment just before the shutter button is depressed;
  • an Icon Customizer that provides an additional level of personalization by allowing users to set their own photos as icons and shortcut images;
  • the addition of a Download category to the menu for easier organization.

LG'S NEW OPTIMUS UI 3.0 ADDS NEW FEATURES AND FUNCTIONS WHILE BEING UNOBTRUSIVE AND SIMPLE 

New User Interface Makes the LG Smartphone Experience Faster, Simpler, More Convenient
SEOUL, May 16, 2012 – LG Electronics (LG) is introducing a new User Interface (UI) for its newest Android Ice Cream Sandwich devices, aptly named Optimus UI 3.0. Optimus UI 3.0 brings with it an array of enhanced key features, including Quick Memo™ and unique unlock functions, among other new features and functions aimed at improving LG smartphone experience.
"With smartphone hardware becoming more and more similar, it's important for manufacturers to differentiate their products from the competition through the user interface," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "Both carriers and customers tell us that they want LG phones to look and feel unique and the UI plays a big part in that. LG is really going to push the boundaries of what is possible in user interfaces starting with Optimus UI 3.0."
Optimus UI 3.0 is designed with convenience and speed in mind. A powerful memo function called Quick Memo™ enables users to jot notes on the screen using a finger. Quick Memo™ in Optimus UI 3.0 allows users to share their thoughts through social networks, text messages and e-mails more conveniently than ever before.
Other new features include:
– the ability to unlock the phone by dragging anywhere on the screen;
– a new Pattern Lock that allows users to preset the most frequently used function, such as the camera, which automatically opens once the phone is unlocked;
– a simpler version of Optimus UI 3.0 for new smartphone users which organizes the main applications so that they are the easiest to access;
– a new Voice Shutter that allows users to capture photos using only voice commands;
– a special camera feature that enables users to pick up the best shot among multiple images including the moment just before the shutter button is depressed;
– an Icon Customizer that provides an additional level of personalization by allowing users to set their own photos as icons and shortcut images;
– the addition of a Download category to the menu for easier organization.
Optimus UI 3.0 will debut on the LG Optimus LTE II launching this week in Korea, followed by LG Optimus 4X HD in June.

Galaxy S III unboxed on YouTube

Posted: 16 May 2012 01:54 PM PDT

There’s still a whole two weeks to go before Samsung’s Galaxy S III finally hits the shelves and already one lucky tech lover has managed to get his hands on the retail package. HD Network’s Editor in Chief Nicollo Rolli is that lucky man and fortunately for the rest of us, he decided to film the unboxing and upload it to YouTube to whet our appetites. Rolli gives us a useful look at how the S III compares to other leading Android devices, the Galaxy Note, Galaxy S II, Galaxy Nexus, HTC One X and HTC One S.

You might want to brush up on your Italian before you hit the play button although there’s plenty to be gained from the visual comparisons!

 

Click here to view the embedded video.

 

source: Android and Me

NVIDIA Announces Cloud-Direct Gaming From A GPU Thanks To GeForce Grid

Posted: 16 May 2012 01:03 PM PDT

In keeping up with the excitement of its exciting Players’ Choice Awards, NVIDIA is set to revolutionize graphics and gaming as we know it. CEO Jen-Hsun Huang has shared that the company plans on using distributed graphics to stream low-latency video games from the internet to computers. In order to power this great concept, NVIDIA has partnered with cloud gaming giant Gaikai and argues the new GeForce Grid GPU actually has a reduced latency of streaming games to just ten milliseconds. Sounds impossible, but it’s definitely been acheived people. To do this feat, the GPU captures and encodes the game frames rapidly in a single pass and promises the enhanced Gaikai service will be available not just Android smartphones and tablets, but TVs as well.

 

There’s reason for why both companies are excited about the partnership as well. David Perry of Gaikai recently showed off the technology in an event and also announced Gaikai will work with NVIDIA to produce content for the GeForce Grid GPU. In the demo, Perry was playing an unreleased first-person shooter called Hawken which was operating on an ASUS Transformer Prime which happened to be powered by the GeForce Grid GPU. Perry was playing the game against an opponent who was operating the game on an LG Cinema TV without an external console— essentially the ethernet cord connected to the TV was the console. The cool thing about the demo is gamers can play across platforms which may not have the same processing power— all because of the GeForce Grid doing much of the dirty work. In addition, the server hosting the gameplay was estimated to be 10 miles away, yet the gameplay was lag-free which gave the impression gamers can utilize the technology as if they’re playing on a local machine.

 The demo is interesting and all, but I’m sure most of you are wondering what in the world is used to power this GeForce Grid and how this puppy works, right? Well, the Grid utilizes two NVIDIA Kepler GPUs with 3,072 CUDA cores on each processor which provides 4.7 teraflops of 3D shader performance and will feature a 250W TDP. Jen-Hsun Huang adds further insight by describing how the new unit works:

“Where we used to render from frame buffer and copy to the CPU for compression and streaming, here it’s already streaming right out of the GPU, saving encode time, not to mention copy time. Compressing and streaming in parallel… we’ve taken maybe a couple hundred milliseconds of lag, and reduced it to something that’s the same performance and snappiness as a game console”.

 

Click here to view the embedded video.

 

The clever way GeForce Grid works doesn’t stop there either. From the client end, all that is required to stream the graphically appealing content is a standard H.264 hardware video decoder. In other words, if your device can play video content, it can run GeForce Grid streamed games according to Huang. Also– rumor has it that NVIDIA is planning to go all in and offer Netflix-like subscriptions for the GeForce Grid and charge a roughly $10 monthly fee for access to the streaming game catalog which would put it in direct competition with OnLive’s streaming gaming service. While some heavyweight developers such as Epic, Capcom and THQ are also rumored to support the cause, there’s no word on when the GeForce Grid will be launched for customers.

Sounds like this is yet another reason for you all to try to grab one of those ASUS tablets folks. Remember gang, you’ve got your chance to grab one through our Transformer Pad Prize Pack contest, so make sure you hurry— the contest ends tonight!

source: The Verge

HTC Desire C Arriving May 24th According to Clove Technology

Posted: 16 May 2012 12:43 PM PDT

The other day we told you about the HTC Desire C. The One S and Wildfire S cross-like device is a revival of the once popular Desire brand. Well as you may now the carrier branded version of the phone is not set to release until June. However, if you want to get your hands on this device a bit earlier, Clove Technology is releasing a SIM-free version in a little over a week. They send word saying that the device will be in stock next Thursday the 24th of May. It will go for £189.99 (roughly $302) including VAT. This is a bit higher in price than the branded handsets but that’s a given because of the fact that it’s unlocked.

So there you have it folks. You can get your very own one of these budget NFC and Beats wielding devices from HTC and Clove UK in just eight days. That is of course if you live in the UK. Folks in the U.S. will still have to wait.

 

source: Clove Technology
via: Android Central

 

Google’s Project Glass Glasses May Not Be as Advanced as We Had Hoped

Posted: 16 May 2012 12:37 PM PDT

While Google went out and patent protected its Project Glass Glasses a little bit of news has been discovered by the folks at CNET. According to them we may not see everything that the promo video has shown us. A Google spokesperson had this to say:

It's still too early to know what the functions and UI will be, it's the simple interactions that are making people the most excited.

It may be that Google is under-promising what these can do only so that they can over deliver at Google I/O conference this year. While they are being seen worn by Google employees it sounds like it will be a while yet before they are in the hands of the public. So if you’re attending Google’s yearly conference, don’t expect it to be apart of your welcome goodie bags. And just in case you missed the video we’re talking about here the first time around, we have it for you after the break. While Google Glasses is something to get excited about, it appears that it won’t be the advanced HUD we hoped they’d be. Sorry.

Click here to view the embedded video.

source: CNET

We go hands on with Sega’s Sonic 4 Episode II THD, Now Available for Tegra 3 Devices [Video]

Posted: 16 May 2012 11:55 AM PDT

Today, Sega released the Android version of Sonic 4 Episode II exclusively for Tegra 3 devices so I decided to get up early so I could get my Hedgehog on. After playing Episode 1 and totally getting hooked, I was stoked to see what the new THD episode had in store for Android gaming. As I expected, Sega hit this one out of the park. In combination with the NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, Sonic 4 Episode II is a complete blast from the past and well worth the $6.99 it costs in the Google Play Store. It even rivals the original game as it was played on the Sega game console.

If you are anything like me, you played Sonic the Hedgehog in your parents basement for hours on end when you were little and you will take any excuse you can get to relive those days of pure, unadulterated enjoyment. To give you an idea of what you can expect from Sega’s newest Android release, I put together a little demo video of the game in action. Before you go running off to check out the video I also wanted to remind you about our series of NVIDIA contests we are holding. We are giving away 3 separate prize packs over the period of 3 weeks and today is the cut-off for our first giveaway. This week’s prize pack consists of an ASUS Transformer Pad TF300, a matching keyboard dock, a wireless controller from Logitech, and a Jambox speaker. The contest ends tonight at 11:59 EST so be sure to get your entry in soon, and don’t forget to vote for your favorite TegraZone games in the Players Choice Awards. NVIDIA and ASUS are giving away seven of these same Transformer Prize Packs. All you have to do is vote for your favorites TegraZone games for three categorie (Best Gameplay, Best Graphics, and Overall Fun) and you will be automatically entered into the contest.

Okay… now you can go ahead and jump past the break to check out our demo video of the new Sonic game. :-)

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Play Store Download Link

How do you protect your Android phone?

Posted: 16 May 2012 07:06 AM PDT

Choice is a wonderful thing, for many of us it's probably the primary reason we own an Android phone in the first place. Speaking of which, it's hard to beat that initial feeling when you get a brand new device. You remove it carefully from the box, peel off the plastic screen protector and admire it as it gleams spotlessly in your hands. Keeping your phone in such pristine condition throughout its life isn’t easy; however there are numerous solutions on the market that can help. The question is which solution works best? A quick search on the website of any mainstream tech retailer will bring up hundreds of sleeves, pouches, wallets, skins, cases and films. Would you prefer leather, suede, neoprene, plastic, rubber or even "invisible"? I’ve tried various solutions over the years with mixed results.

I've been a mobile phone connoisseur since the mid 90's when Nokia ruled the roost. My trusty 3330 would be thrown in my pocket alongside my keys, coins and wallet without a care in the world. The one and only time I dropped it, I simply popped into town and bought a new exchangeable cover; job done. It was one of my early ventures into the smartphone world that made me re-evaluate the benefits of phone protectors. Back in 2004 I bought a sim-free iMate Jam (HTC Magician) and paid £500 cold hard cash. The store I purchased it from suggested a leather case for protection, which I decided to go for as I could definitely see the benefits. The case in question was a classic design which anyone who has been using phones or PDA's for a number of years will definitely be familiar with. A couple of pieces of black leather on the front and back, joined by a few strips of black, elastic material with a leather 'lid' that folds over the top and sticks in place by way of some velcro tabs. If my memory serves me right, I think it even had a belt clip on the back (did anyone actually use those?). There was no question that this case would protect the phone. The problem was that the iMate Jam was a hefty old device. It was made of metal, as thick as a yellow pages directory and could probably have been used to anchor a small boat. Putting this phone in such a rugged case made it virtually impossible to pocket. It didn't take long before I ditched the case and it also didn't take long for me to regret that decision. On a visit to my parents' house, the iMate was sitting in my shirt pocket. I bent down to pick something up and out it flew dropping a few feet onto the slate finished kitchen floor. I'd gained a sizable dent on the bottom corner and clearly some kind of loose connection somewhere as the device would perform a master reset every time I pressed the top half of the screen. Lesson learned.  

For my next few phones I trialled numerous different cases, wallets and screen protectors and was never really entirely happy with any of them. Regardless of how discrete they claim to be, I find that screen protectors dull the screen and take away some of the responsiveness of a touch screen. Now perhaps it's just in my mind but I definitely don't find the experience as satisfying as using a 'naked' screen. This solution may be great for design however it's not so great for function.

My next solution was the wallet type case where your phone clips into a plastic cradle and you close a cover over it like a book. This was slightly preferable to a screen film as once you open the cover you can use your device as nature intended. The trade-off here is that your phone lives permanently in the holder within the case. The hardware manufacturers spend millions on design teams to make your phone as aesthetically pleasing and ergonomically functional as possible, it seems ludicrous that we should then proceed to bolt it into an ugly plastic cradle and close a wallet over it? Although I don't believe in style over substance (I'd probably own an iPhone if I did) I still like my phone to look smart. We have the opposite problem to the screen films here; a wallet will protect your phone whilst allowing you to interact with the touch screen unhindered however your phone loses its physical identity as it becomes a screen buried in a case.

It was completely by chance that I stumbled across a solution that I've stuck with ever since. I bought a Nexus One direct from Google on launch day and was pleasantly surprised to discover a soft neoprene pouch as part of the package. I'd already been contemplating which kind of case to use and had never considered trying a pouch previously. It seemed silly not to try it out seeing as it was ready and waiting. It didn't take long for me to deduce that, although not perfect, this was the ideal solution for me. The case protects the phone nicely whilst it's in your pocket, in a bag etc. It's small enough and light enough not to be overly intrusive although padded enough to protect the phone from drops and bumps. When you need to use the phone you simply slide it out of the pouch and use it free from any obtrusive cases or protectors. The obvious pitfall here is dropping the phone whilst it's in use but I've never had such an accident in the past so the risk is worth it when considering the probability.

My trusty Nexus One case lived on to protect my Galaxy S and I bought a new one for my Nexus S once the original became worn and tatty. Finding a solution for my Galaxy Nexus was a little trickier at first because I picked mine up on launch day and initially I could not find a pouch big enough, the curse of the early adopter. Eventually I found a suede pouch that was up to the job and I'm pleased to report that my Galaxy Nexus looks just as good today as it did the day I bought it.

I'm interested in hearing what the rest of you are using out there. Is your beloved smartphone currently 'au naturel' or have you managed to find a solution that works for you? Let me know in the comments below.

Samsung Cares About Top Notch Customer Service By Releasing Samsung Cares App

Posted: 16 May 2012 06:49 AM PDT

Samsung just upped the ante for bringing great customer service to users of its devices. In an effort to show customers it is indeed attentive to various questions raised for its various products, they released a mobile app called Samsung Cares which aims to bring Samsung support on the go. The app covers many types of Sammy products and will allow users to do things such as viewing FAQs, How To Guides, tutorial videos and troubleshooting guides. The app even allows you to track your service status if your device or product is in the shop for a routine repair.

The app might not be too comprehensive, but hey at least the app shows Sammy cares. The app is available for all Android 2.1+ devices, so if you own a Sammy product– make sure you grab the app today.

 

Android Play Store link

Some Customers Will Receive Galaxy S III Pre-Orders a Day Early

Posted: 16 May 2012 06:42 AM PDT

It was originally rumored that the Galaxy S III would be available for purchase on May 29th. However after the official announcement was made retailers began announcing the sale of the S III on May 30th. Well the original date of the 29th may be true for some individuals as some UK retailers have made it known that those who pre-ordered Samsung‘s newest device will be getting it a day early.

Samsung UK announced today that customers who pre-ordered the S III at the Samsung store in London’s Westfield Stratford City will get their phone as early as 6pm (local time) May 29th. Worry not non-London dwellers because Samsung is allowing other retailers to hold their own early launch events but no earlier than 7pm that night. So if you’re wanting to snag this device hours before your friends you’ll have to check local listings of your favorite carrier store for information regarding its early release.

While the official unveiling was exciting in itself this announcement should get you just as excited. Getting Samsung’s latest and greatest a day earlier than most is always exciting. Otherwise the device will be available on the major UK networks a day later. Of course you’ll have to be on Vodafone UK’s network to snag the 32GB model. Here’s hoping you have a better first impression than we did!

 

source: Android Central

AT&T HTC One X And Sprint EVO 4G LTE Imports Delayed By Customs

Posted: 16 May 2012 06:30 AM PDT

It looks like we’re about to have a major snafu in regards to the anticipated arrivals of the AT&T HTC One X and Sprint EVO 4G LTE smartphones. HTC recently confirmed the imports of both devices have been delayed at the U.S. border due to a “customs review”. The reason for this hints in the direction of none other than Apple. Apparently, the cause may come from the ITC exclusion order Apple was granted last December over hyperlinks in the messaging app and browser. HTC claims the issues raised by Apple in front of the ITC were more or less silly and would be removed from their various products. Unfortunately, customs must review the shipments coming in after the April 19 deadline set in place by the ITC whether HTC likes it or not. HTC added an official statement regarding the matter:

“The US availability of the HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G LTE has been delayed due to a standard U.S. Customs review of shipments that is required after an ITC exclusion order. We believe we are in compliance with the ruling and HTC is working closely with Customs to secure approval. The HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G LTE have been received enthusiastically by customers and we appreciate their patience as we work to get these products into their hands as soon as possible”.

While HTC is being professional and handling the matter as quietly as possible, there are many individuals who are offering vocal opinions for the latest turn of events from Apple. Rene Ritchie of iMore.com gave additional insights of Apple for the matter:

“Apple’s lawsuits against HTC — and Samsung and Motorola — stem from Apple’s feeling that Android was “grand theft” of iPhone intellectual property. Basically, they believe Google partnered with Apple, had their then-CEO Eric Schmidt on Apple’s board, and then not only stole Apple’s ideas about smartphone technology, but gave them away “promiscuously”.

The late Steve Jobs reportedly vowed to go “thermonuclear” over Android, and spend every dime in Apple’s tens of billions of dollars in the bank to reap horrible vengeance upon them.

Current Apple CEO Tim Cook has thus far been much calmer, but every bit as deadly about patent litigation, saying Apple shouldn’t be the developers for the whole world”.

As it stands, the AT&T HTC One X is currently listed as “sold out” on AT&T’s website, while the Sprint EVO 4G LTE is still due to go on sale this week, but the available stock in-store is unclear. So it’s more than possible we may not see either device for the foreseeable future.

Ladies and gents, feel free to let out a deep sigh at this time.

source: Android Central

 

 

 
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